Battery systems are being increasingly used today both for stationary applications, such as wind turbine generator systems, as well as for vehicles, such as hybrid and electric-powered vehicles. To enable the battery system to be disconnected from a load, for example from a vehicle electrical system, it is generally known to use circuit breakers, such as contactors, for example. FIG. 1 schematically shows such a conventional deactivation device. The deactivation device includes a battery 2 that is electrically connected to a load 3. At each terminal of battery 2, a circuit breaker 10 is connected in series between battery 2 and load 3. These types of circuit breakers permit the repeated disconnection of such a system, in particular under load as well. An inherent drawback, however, is that the circuit breakers are very costly.